Google Pulls Plug on Wave

Google is pulling the plug on its ambitious "Wave" communication project just over a year after its launch. The tool—which combined email, instant messaging, and social networking features to help users work together—was launched in beta mode last year with much fanfare. Invitations were selling for up to $70 on eBay at one point, but Google says it attracted too few users after going public earlier this year, CNET reports.

Users complained that Wave was too complicated, and even its developers admitted having trouble getting used to it. "Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked," a Google exec said in a blog post. "We don't plan to continue developing Wave as a stand-alone product, but we will maintain the site, at least through the end of the year, and extend the technology for use in other Google projects."
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